Raydio - Rock On - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Digitally remastered and expanded edition of Raydio's self titled 1978 album including six bonus tracks. Although recorded in L.A., Raydio is full of Detroit musicians and has a very Detroit-minded sound. Raydio is essentially a funk/soul album, but with pop and rock elements—and Parker certainly brings a poppy outlook to “Jack and Jill,” the single that put Raydio on the map. A clever song that uses nursery rhyme imagery to describe a man who feels neglected in a relationship and has an affair, “Jack and Jill” climbed to #5 on Billboard’s R&B single chart in the United States and #8 on the Billboard Hot 100. “Jack and Jill” also fared well internationally, reaching #11 in the UK, #4 in Australia and New Zealand and #5 in Canada. Raydio, which made it to #8 on Billboard’s R&B albums chart, was certified gold in the U.S. by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales exceeding 500,000 copies.

The Northwoods Improvisers have been performing for nearly 50 years. Unified View is a diverse document that represents two musical approaches and distinct sides to the group on this double CD set. The first CD represents pieces written by various group members except for a renditions of Bill Dixon's Momenti and Fosters by the great Detroit composer and saxophonist Faruq Z. Bey. The second disc represents the rich history of collective improvisation for which the group is well known. Unified View features great instrumental work by the members and strong compositions and arrangement by all musicians in the group. With powerful percussion, a string section where members move effortlessly from rhythm to melodic roles and a focus on the strength of double horns, The Northwoods Improvisers represent a grouping that is rarely heard in this music in our modern times.

Alan Bern - Accordance [COMPACT DISCS] date 01/16/2001